This article summarizes nearly exactly what I feel and want people to know about MSU. Sometimes, I feel very stereotyped, just because I go to what is considered a 'party school.' Truth be told, I saw just as much bad drinking behavior while at the U of M--Twin Cities, which is considered a prestigious public school.
I only bring this up, because an editorial was printed in the Star Tribune today about the Amanda Jax situation. It upset me, because the author was slightly misinformed. While stating some valid theories, the man also blamed MSU for Amanda Jax and Rissa Amen-Reif's deaths, stating, "Where were the outcries at the university for not protecting its students better? There were none, because it is easier to blame the establishments that provide the alcohol, not the individual or university."
Both incidents occurred with adults who were of legal drinking ages and AWAY from campus. They both lived away from campus and were not on campus when these incidents happened. Honestly, this more than likely would have happened had both girls attended different universities. Universities can not hold responsibility for all of their students who are not on campus. It's ridiculous. No university does that.
I would so love to inform this man that MSU has already been pushed into a corner. They are caught between outcry from the media/public and respect for students. In order to comfort the public and make them feel as though action is being taken, they have put even MORE effort into condemning the use of alochol and enforcing new punishments. There's even talk of phoning parents at home when students get in trouble for drinking. That's not the way to go. We ARE adults.
The only reason I say they are forced into a corner is because, by enforcing all of these new rules and putting so much new emphasis on it, they are reinforcing the notion that Minnesota State University--Mankato students are alcoholics. I feel it every time I walk down a hallway and see fifteen different posters on not drinking. (I do give them credit for some of the newer posters, though, because they put emphasis on safe drinking tips rather than abstinence. Students are more likely to implement safety into drinking rather than quitting all together.) I think MSU should make more of an effort to defend its students and say to the public, "Yes, we've had unfortunate incidents. However, look at all of our students who don't drink. They're here too!"
As a student who achieved a 4.0 during her first semester at MSU, works a decent amount of hours a week, volunteers to make the community better, and does it all while basically staying away from alcohol, I'd like it to be known that I'm here, too. I have a lot of friends here who are just like me. We don't want to be thrown into this stereotype, and we especially don't want our university promoting that idea.
And what about the students who know how to drink responsibly. Just because they go to MSU and drink occasionally in a reponsible manner, they are being thrown in with the worst of the worst. It's not fair.
*steps off soapbox*
And that's all I have to say about that.
I only bring this up, because an editorial was printed in the Star Tribune today about the Amanda Jax situation. It upset me, because the author was slightly misinformed. While stating some valid theories, the man also blamed MSU for Amanda Jax and Rissa Amen-Reif's deaths, stating, "Where were the outcries at the university for not protecting its students better? There were none, because it is easier to blame the establishments that provide the alcohol, not the individual or university."
Both incidents occurred with adults who were of legal drinking ages and AWAY from campus. They both lived away from campus and were not on campus when these incidents happened. Honestly, this more than likely would have happened had both girls attended different universities. Universities can not hold responsibility for all of their students who are not on campus. It's ridiculous. No university does that.
I would so love to inform this man that MSU has already been pushed into a corner. They are caught between outcry from the media/public and respect for students. In order to comfort the public and make them feel as though action is being taken, they have put even MORE effort into condemning the use of alochol and enforcing new punishments. There's even talk of phoning parents at home when students get in trouble for drinking. That's not the way to go. We ARE adults.
The only reason I say they are forced into a corner is because, by enforcing all of these new rules and putting so much new emphasis on it, they are reinforcing the notion that Minnesota State University--Mankato students are alcoholics. I feel it every time I walk down a hallway and see fifteen different posters on not drinking. (I do give them credit for some of the newer posters, though, because they put emphasis on safe drinking tips rather than abstinence. Students are more likely to implement safety into drinking rather than quitting all together.) I think MSU should make more of an effort to defend its students and say to the public, "Yes, we've had unfortunate incidents. However, look at all of our students who don't drink. They're here too!"
As a student who achieved a 4.0 during her first semester at MSU, works a decent amount of hours a week, volunteers to make the community better, and does it all while basically staying away from alcohol, I'd like it to be known that I'm here, too. I have a lot of friends here who are just like me. We don't want to be thrown into this stereotype, and we especially don't want our university promoting that idea.
And what about the students who know how to drink responsibly. Just because they go to MSU and drink occasionally in a reponsible manner, they are being thrown in with the worst of the worst. It's not fair.
*steps off soapbox*
And that's all I have to say about that.
sick
calm
listless
exhausted
beyond furious
complacent